Food for thought: The spy who sold out
Forgiving a pretty face
Facebook to agencies: how will people share your story?
Is “The Pitch” an accurate reflection of our industry?
At the risk of sounding like an advertisement (beyond my obvious day job), there are some trends that are worth noting. In this particular case, the trend isn’t arising from manufactured necessity – it’s a design solution to a very real need. In heavily urbanized environments, there are few problems more pressing than greener transportation infrastructure.
We’ve all seen AutoShare and Zipcars around Toronto. The concept is simple: borrow a car near you when you need it. Borrowers eliminate the cost of owning a car, avoid the inconvenience of taking public transit, and save money on cab fares. If you’ve ever used or looked into one of these services, you soon discover the money-saving alternative isn’t as awesome as you thought. On top of the hourly rates, there are monthly membership fees associated with each brand, and the pick-up locations of cars are limited.
Drum roll please. The alternative alternative solution has already been implemented, and the new service has taken off in San Francisco and Boston. Allow me to introduce you to Relay Rides. Members join for free, car owners are able to share their cars, and borrowers can search for available cars in the area. Watch this video for a full description.
Relay Rides really picked up the slack from AutoShare and Zipcars. This service is less about the corporation and more about the people. A friend in San Francisco uses Relay Rides for simple things like grocery shopping. She has had no hiccups using the service, and highly recommends grabbing a Relay Ride instead of an expensive cab or a crowded bus. The benefit to the renter is also great, since they are making money off their parked cars.
There are probably thousands of commuters that drive into Toronto everyday. Relay Rides could really take off because of the benefit to all parties. How long will take for a company to bring a service like Relay Rides to Canada? Do you think it would be popular here?
But perhaps there’s an even more audacious question. In a society that often defers to a “buy more” ethic, should we, as marketers, begin to imagine a second tier “piggybacking” solution for our clients’ goods and services?
Kathy
January 10, 2012 @ 2:03 pm
Love this idea, and I think it would totally work in a city as populated and, er, transportationally-challenged as Toronto not to mention our surrounding burbs. Sure we’ve got lots of options, but none are great when you have errands to run all over the city. I gave up my Zipcar membership because renting a car and planning my errands turned out to a whole lot more convenient and less expensive.
Moreover, Julia’s audacious questions is a good one. Any solution that fills a gap for consumers ought to be considered by marketers, if only to earn the trust and loyalty of consumers (whom you can then convince to buy more, conceivably). Relying solely on a “buy more” philosophy strikes me as being a short-term strategy for a brand’s success.
Andrew
January 10, 2012 @ 6:41 pm
The problem is that in Ontario you are on the hook for any accidents the other person would have in our car. Your metal, your insurance.
Dom
January 11, 2012 @ 1:59 pm
You ain’t touching my Bugatti.
Rodion Rogov
January 15, 2012 @ 1:56 pm
I do not see it working great in most cities for a couple of reasons.
No matter what the first car you bought is, its a Ferrari. Meaning any new car owner is highly unlikely to part with their car to a stranger. It is like a baby, although I am not a supporter of anyone referring to their car as a baby. Some wont be able to part with the attachment they have.
Even though gas, insurance and rest is included. Driving styles can really put a toll on the car. How would this service go about maintenance of the vehicle, especially with an average commute being around 50km (not scientifically supported statement). Anything from oil change to tires does add up. Will this be profitable enough to cover the AC of operating a vehicle?
I support the idea if I am the renter, but I would require more information and assurance as the car owner. Maybe in a few years when my car is old and I am not worried about loosing it, I may consider participating.
Antonia
February 28, 2012 @ 3:13 pm
(Full disclosure, I work for RelayRides.)
Thank you for the mention! Just wanted to clarify, that we are RelayRides (one word), not two. No big deal, but it might help people find us. Again, thanks!